Dowdall's indetification comes from an IRA file photo with identifications of a group from F Coy
 |
 |
In the summer of 1921, a series of articles appeared in a London magazine, entitled "Ireland under the New Terror, Living Under Martial Law". While purporting to be an impartial account of the situation in Ireland, it portrayed the IRA in a very unfavourable light when compared with the British forces. In reality the author, Ernest Dowdall, was an Auxiliary and the series was one of many articles planted by the Dublin Castle Propaganda Department (established in August 1920) to influence public opinion in a Britain increasingly dismayed at the behaviour of its security forces in Ireland.
1893 Jul 1.born Camberwell, Ernest Samuel Dowdall
1901 census at 188 Cator St, Camberwell with his parents.
1911 census - he is an insurance clerk living with his parents at 26 Kelmore Grove, London S E
1912 to Aug 1914 worked as a clerk in an Insurance Co.
1915 Jan 24. Landed in France
1916 Jul 9. Cadet Ernest Samuel Dowdall to be 2nd Lt. (on prob.). Under London Regt Territorial promotions.
1917 Nov 22. Reported wounded Lt E S Dowdall of Londons
1918 Jan 9 22nd En., London Regt. — The undermentioned 2nd Lts. to be Lts. : — E. S. Dowdall, next below Lt. E. E. Arnold, and to remain seconded.
1918 Apr 1. Lieuts. (Flying) to be 2nd Lieuts. (Tech.): E. S. Dowdall, and to be Hon. Lieut.
1918 Aug 26. Lieuts. (T.) to be Lieuts. (A.) :—E. S. Dowdall;
1917 Oct 6. Seriously injured in an aero accident when seconded to RAF
1919 May 7. Transferred to unemployed list. Lt. E. S. Dowdall (London R., T.F.).
1920 Dec 6. Joined ADRIC. Posted to F Company (Auxiliary number 1182, RIC 79884). His duties were noted as "visiting Auxiliary Companies and writing special articles and news paragraphs". Dowdall produced a number of articles for publication under the nom de plume 'ADRIC'.
1921 Mar 14. He was on the Brunswick St Raid . He was in the leading tender "I saw the flashes. I fired back 10 rounds. The men on either side of me dropped having been hit. My rifle would not load so I got out to get one of the wounded men's rifles"
1921 Apr 16 Posted to Depot
1921 A Times review of the press refers to an article by him in The London on what it is like to live under martial law in Dublin. Entitled 'Ireland under the New Terror" was published in "The London Magazine", formerly the Harmsworth's Monthly Pictorial, in 1921.
Three members of the Auxiliary Division worked under Basil Clarke; Menzies who reported directly to Clarke, and under Menzies there were Dowdall and Vignoles.
1922 Jan 13 Discharged on demobilisation of ADRIC
1925 marries Gladys Baker in Wandsworth and they appear to have had 3 children, Ann, Susan and Sally
1930 Aug 7. His house was broken into.
1939 Register living at Turville Park Cottage , Wycombe R.D., Buckinghamshire. He is Director of Advertising Agency and Journalist. He also has an address at 8 Flat B Seamore Place , City of Westminster, London
1948 May 27 Arrived in UK from USA. He is an Advertising Agent living in Richmond
1958 Jan 14 Sails from UK to Albany , W Aus. He intends returning to UK . In Advertising
1968 Jul/Sep Died in Brighton aged 75